Set of protective shrouds for golf tees

ABSTRACT

A GOLF TEE AND CLUB PROTECTOR COMPRISING A SOFT RESILIENT RING SIZED TO TELESCOPE ABOUT AND GRIP THE LOWER HEAD PORTION OF A GOLF TEE AND TO HAVE ITS LOWER END BEAR AGAINST THE GROUND TO AID IN SUPPORTING THE GOLF TEE AT A DESIRED PLAYING HEIGHT. THE PROTECTOR SAFEGUARDS BOTH THE FACE OF THE CLUB AND THE TEE AGAINST DAMAGE AND IS PREFERABLY KPROVIDED IN SETS OF ASSORTED LENGTHS. THE PROTECTORS ARE REUSABLE REPEATEDLY AND BRIGHTLY COLORED TO FACILITATE SIGNTING IF DISPLACED BY THE CLUB IN PLAY.

' R. J. BALL 'SET OF PROTECTIVE SHROUDS FOR GOLF TEES Sept. 20, 1971Filed May 28, 1969 Fla! 6.

- iNvEN'mR 565627 J EAAL ATTOZ/VVS United States Patent Oflice 3,606,344Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,606,344 SET OF PROTECTIVE SHROUDS FOR GOLFTEES Robert J. Ball, 2846 Santa Anita, Altadena, Calif. 91001 Filed May28, 1969, Ser. No. 828,631 Int. Cl. A63b 51/00 US. Cl. 273-202 4 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A golf tee and club protector comprising asoft resilient ring sized to telescope about and grip the lower headportion of a golf tee and to have its lower end bear against the groundto aid in supporting the golf tee at a desired playing height. Theprotector safeguards both the face of the club and the tee againstdamage and is preferably provided in sets of assorted lengths. Theprotectors are reusable repeatedly and brightly colored to facilitatesighting if displaced by the club in play.

This invention relates to golf tees and more particularly to an improvedprotective shroud of resilient material adapted to grip the underside ofa golf tee head to provide a resilient guard between the face of theclub and the tee effective in protecting both against damage.

By this invention there is provided a simple inexpensive article ofmanufacture comprising a set of resilient rings of assorted widths sizedto telescope about and grip the under surface of a golf tee head.Preferably, these resilient rings have oppositely flaring ends one ofwhich is proportioned to firmly grip the tee head and the other of whichis sufficiently large to provide a wide area stabilizing support for thetee, particularly in softer ground. When provided in graduated sizes theprotectors can be used selectively to support a tee at differentselected heights in accordance with a particular condition of play.

The walls of the tubular protectors are sufiiciently thick to absorb theblow of a golf club and prevent damaging contact of the club head withthe golf tee. Assurance is thereby provided that the critical face ofthe golf tee is protected and the same is equally true with respect tothe tee. Manufacture of the protectors in assorted bright or fluorescentcolors greatly facilitates recovery of the tee should it be displaced bythe club in play.

Accordingly it is a primary object of the present invention to providean article of manufacture comprising a resilient protector readilyassembled over a wide variety of sizes and shapes of golf tees andfrictionally gripping the same to provide a resilient shroud between thetee head and a golf club.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a set of golf teeprotectors of graduated lengths adapted to be selectively assembledabout the lower head portion of a golf tee and useful in supporting thetee at a proper height effective to safeglard the golf club face and thetee from injury.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a brightly coloredresilient shroud sized to grip the head of a golf tee and to limit theinsertion of the tee into the ground.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading thefollowing specification and claims and upon considering in connectiontherewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the preferred embodiment of theinvention assembled about a conventional golf tee;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a protector per se on an enlarged scale;and

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show a set of golf tee protectors of graduated size,the protectors being. shown in crosssection and assembled about similartees each supported at a different height above ground level.

Referring initially more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown anexemplary embodiment of the invention protector, designated generally10, assembled about a golf tee 11, having a typical head 12 contoured tosupport a golf ball 13. The protectors are preferably manufactured in aset of graduated size best illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. Theprotectors of a given set differ essentially in their axial width orheight. Initially all components of a set may be made in a common moldhaving the size shown in FIG. 4, the FIGS. 5 and 6 lengths beingprovided by the simple expedient of trimming away the larger end of theprotector along the planes indicated by the dot and dash lines 15 and 16respectively.

Protectors 10 are made of any suitable inexpensive soft resilientmaterial, such as rubber or soft resilient thermoplastic. The individualelements may be described as a resilient ring having oppositely-flaringends. As herein shown, the upper end has a shorter flare than the lowerend and has a normal interior diameter somewhat smaller than thediameter of the portion of the tee closely below its ball-supportingcavity 20. In consequence the upper end 18 of the protector is stretchedsufficiently when telescoped over the shank of the tee as to grip thetee head firmly and sufficiently strongly to retain itself firmlyassembled to the tee. The lower larger end 19 of the protector flaresaway from the tee shank and serves not only to limit the penetration ofthe tee into the ground but to cooperate therewith in stabilizing thetee and in assuring that the tee is supported in an upright position.The supplemental tee-supporting characteristics of the protector areparticularly pronounced in softer ground.

Protector 10 preferably has a sufliciently thick wall that its upper rimedge 22 protrudes radially beyond the largest portion of the tee head asis clearly illustrated in the drawing. It will be noted that thisportion of the protector is firmly backed by the tee head itself. If theplayer swings too low the protector prevents the face of the clubcontacting the tee. Owing to its resilient nature, the protector isharmless to the club face and provides a shock absorbing layer betweenthe club and the tee itself. Accordingly neither is damaged.

The protector rings are preferably made in different bright colorscontrasting sharply with the playing field. This fact and thesubstantially larger size of the assembly than the normal tee enables.the player to quickly locate the tee in cases where the playing clubdisplaces it from the ground.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the resiliency andstretchability of the protector ring enables it to be stretched intofirm seating engagement with tees of a great variety of shapes andsizes. Accordingly, it may be manufactured in a single standard contour.

While the particular set of protective shrouds for golf tees hereinshown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objectsand providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understoodthat it is merely illustrative of. the presently preferred embodimentsof the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a golf tee, a protective shroud comprising aunitary tubular member of flexible resilient material having arestricted central portion and outwardly symmetrically flaring oppositeends, one of said flaring ends being sized to frictionally grip thelower head portion of said golf tee and the other flaring end beingpositioned well back from the pointed end of said tee and adapted tobear against the surface of the ground when the tee is inserted to aproper teeing height, and said protective shroud being effective toprevent the golf club from contacting the tee and causing damage to thetee or the face of the club.

2. =In combination with a plurality of golf tees, a set of protectiveshrouds, said shrouds being of different lengths and selectivelyassembled about the upper shank and head portion of a respective one ofsaid golf tees to aid in supporting the same more firmly in soft groundat a desired height, said protective shrouds being formed of softresilient material and sized to fiictionally grip the upper end portionof a respective one of said golf tees and having a lower symmetricallyand outwardly flaring end spaced backwardly from the pointed end of theshank and adapted to rest against the ground when the tee is depressedto a desired teeing height.

3. The combination as defined in claim 2 characterized in that saidshrouds are molded in a generally tubular configuration with oppositelyflaring ends one of which is sized to grip the upper portion of one ofsaid golf. tees resiliently and firmly and to accommodate itself readilyto golf tees of widely varying shape and size.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 characterized in that said shroudsare brightly colored in a color contrasting with green thereby tofacilitate sighting the location of a golf tee after it has beendisplaced in play.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,542,514 6/1925 Mahony 2732031,670,123 5/1928 Ranseen 273209X 2,555,933 6/ 1951 Renstrom.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

20 T. BROWN, Assistant Examiner.

